


A Small Moment of Peace

by zedeeo



Category: Criminal Minds (US TV)
Genre: Accidental Cuddling, Comfort, Cuddling & Snuggling, Dreams, Fluff, M/M, Nightmares, Romantic Fluff, Romantic Tension, Sharing a Bed, soft
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-10
Updated: 2021-01-10
Packaged: 2021-03-14 09:41:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,890
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28668666
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/zedeeo/pseuds/zedeeo
Summary: Spencer Reid is having trouble sleeping. He asks his good friend if he can stay the night at his place. (Set a little while after season 1 episode 10)
Relationships: Derek Morgan & Spencer Reid, Derek Morgan/Spencer Reid
Comments: 4
Kudos: 133





	A Small Moment of Peace

Spencer was in the kitchen, debating whether or not to put on a cup of coffee. He'd been doing this every night for a while now; waking up in a panic, adrenaline pumping, and downing a few cups of coffee to keep him up for the rest of the night once that adrenaline had gone. It worked well enough - he didn't have to go back to sleep to another nightmare, and he got to finish some work he'd been meaning to catch up on in the hours before his actual work started. But after 4 straight nights of the same routine, Spencer was starting to get tired. He wanted to be able to sleep without anxiety, and his work could only keep his mind preoccupied for so long. He wanted someone to be with to distract him, to stop his mind wandering... or to make his mind wander, more fittingly. So he picked up his phone without really thinking, and dialled the number of the person he wanted to talk to.

"Derek?"

"Hey Reid... what's up?" Spencer heard Derek say in a groggy voice. "You know it's like... 2 in the morning right?"

"Yeah... I'm sorry, actually nevermind it doesn't matter. Sorry for waking you up." He was realising now that he didn't want to be a burden to Derek, and make him lose sleep too...

"Wait, kid come on. If something's bugging you you can tell me about it. I'll survive missing a little sleep."

"I just... I can't sleep and I guess I'm having nightmares again and... I don't know, I wanted to talk to you."

"I'm glad you called. I know how you bottle up emotions sometimes. You wanna tell me about what happened? Is it the same dream from a few weeks ago?"

"No, this one was different... this time it wasn't a baby but a child, he was about 7 or 8... and there was someone running at him and I couldn't get to him before he stabbed the kid with a knife. The boy was just standing there, staring at me... and his eyes were pleading with me, like he was asking me why I didn't save him..." Derek heard Spencer sigh a deep sigh, and it sounded pained and heavy. Derek had a sudden urge to hug his friend.

"Damn, kid, that's... pretty heavy. If it helps, I know for a fact that if anything like that ever did happen, if you couldn't save someone, it wouldn't be your fault. You would do everything in and beyond your power to help them. That's one of the many things I love about you - you are such a caring person."

Spencer tried not to pay attention to how his heart beat faster at that last sentiment. "Yeah... I should... probably go now, let you sleep. Thanks for talking with me."

"Hey, no, Reid. You're not gonna be able to sleep for the rest of the night are you?"

"...probably not. But it's okay, I've run on less sleep before."

"Yeah, but you don't have to. Listen, you wanna come over to mine? I have a couch in the living room you could crash on, so you wouldn't have to be alone tonight."

"...I guess... that would help a lot. Are you sure it's okay?"

"Of course, Reid. You really shouldn't worry so much." Derek smiled at the sound of Reid's light laugh.

"Okay."

"Great, I'll see you in 15."

"Derek?"

"Yeah?"

"Thanks. For being there for me."

"Of course, kid. Always."

After a moment, Spencer hung up the phone. _Always._

There was a knock on Derek's door and he opened it to let Spencer in. He resisted the urge to tease about how cute he looked in his pyjamas, with his bed hair and tired eyes. He also tried not to think about what him finding that cute meant. Spencer silently thanked him for not being shirtless. He didn't think he would be able to contain himself if Morgan didn't have a shirt on. But then, seeing Derek in sweatpants and a plain white tee was also something pleasantly new. Derek showed Spencer the couch he'd made up, and apologised for not having a spare bed or something other than an old couch. Spencer told him not to worry, this was fine. After he'd made sure Reid had enough blankets and pillows and was comfortable, and after Reid shooed him off, Derek went back to his room. After a while, he heard a knock at his bedroom door and opened it, maybe a little too hastily.

"Hey... I uh, I still can't sleep. I think it's because I'm alone, my mind just keeps thinking - so uh maybe I could sleep on the floor in here? Or actually that's a little weird, I think the couch is fine actually... Sorry, nevermind." He started to walk out again but Derek grabbed his arm. Spencer tried not to think about how close his hand was to Derek's.

"Kid, hey, that's okay. But I'm not letting you sleep on the floor, like we're having a 4th-grade sleepover party. Just come sleep in my bed."

"Wh-what? I can't do that, really I'm fine with the floor."

"You said you don't want to sleep alone right? So sleep in my bed. Relax, I'm not gonna give you cooties or anything. We can have two different pillows and blankets, it's just that I don't have another bed."

Spencer smiled. As if he would be _worried_ about Derek giving him cooties. "...Okay."

"Okay."

Derek went and fetched Spencer's blankets and pillow, and set them up in his bed. They lay down and Derek reached over to ruffle Spencer's hair before turning out the light. "Goodnight, Spencer."

Derek using his first name instead of 'kid' or even 'Reid' made Spencer's heart flutter. Derek tried not to think about how close his body was to Spencer's, and how he'd turned the light off so quickly in the hoped that Reid didn't see the blush rising to Derek's face. He didn't think he'd react this badly to being in the same bed with him...

Derek woke to sunlight straining through his window and falling on his face. It didn't take long for him to remember Reid was here too, and he looked down quickly to see Spencer's arms wrapped tightly around his torso. He tried to remind himself that this was a big problem, but couldn't bring himself to move away from Reid. He looked so peaceful, finally getting a good night's sleep, that when he arrived at his place last night, looked like he hadn't gotten in a while. Before Derek really realised what he was doing, he planted a kiss on the top Spencer's head, and when that didn't wake him up, snuggled in closer. He'd allow himself this small moment of peace.

Spencer had actually woken up earlier, and thought the same as Derek did - he'd allow himself this moment he'd only ever imagined himself having. When Derek planted his kiss on Spencer's head, it took everything he had not to open his eyes and cover Derek in kisses of his own. He would never confess to Derek, could never, because he believed that even if Derek wasn't straight, Spencer would be the last person he'd be interested in that way. Sometimes he entertained the idea, and thought that maybe Morgan flirting with girls less and less and that fact that he had never actually had a relationship in the time Spencer knew him, meant something. Maybe the teasing that was bordering on flirting that Derek only did with Spencer meant something. But then he had to snap back to reality and realise that nothing could ever happen between them. Since Spencer was so used to convincing himself that everything that _might_ have meant something between them didn't mean anything at all, when Derek planted that kiss on his head he convinced himself again that he only meant it in a brotherly love way, not a... love way. A kiss on the head and Derek's pulling Spencer in closer was an action that was just loving enough to make Spencer doubt himself a slight bit however, and he found himself, not for the first time, thinking about the probability of Derek feeling the same way he did. It _was_ strange that Derek insisted on Spencer sleeping with him, instead of just setting him on the floor or back to the couch, or even him insisting Spencer come to his apartment in the first place...

Suddenly a knock at Derek's front door woke the both of them, interrupting Spencer's rambling thoughts. Derek lifted his head from where Spencer's own head was tucked under his chin, and Spencer unwrapped his arms from Derek's torso. The two exchanged a quick, embarrassed glance at each other, not sure what to say, not sure if the other was feeling the same feeling. A call from the front door made them both snap out of their thoughts. "O Romeo, Romeo, wherefore art though Romeo?" came Garcia's voice from the front door, and Derek rushed to open it.

"Hey, there you are! We got a case. I tried calling your phone but you didn't pick up, and I was already picking up donuts so-" Penelope cut herself off when she saw Spencer following Derek to the door, looking equally sleepy and flustered as Derek was.

"Oh. OH. Hey Reid." She smiled knowingly at the two of them.

"Uh- Garcia listen-" Derek started.

"Well that's all I came by to say! We got a case and I brought donuts for you two so enjoy them and get ready for work. I'll see you there!" She shoved the box at Derek. "Oh, and - congratulations." She said with a grin before rushing down the stairs.

"Penelope- Ah, she's gone. Well... it looks like we've got a case..."

"And some donuts... I guess I should get going then, get the stuff I need from my apartment..."

"Hey, let me drive you, your house is on the way to work anyway."

"The team will definitely think something happened if they see us walk in together, if Garcia doesn't tell everyone instantly..."

"Well... did something happen?"

"What? I uh - I don't know... did it?"

"Would you have liked something to happen?" Derek took a step closer to Spencer. Now it was only the box of donuts between them. Spencer was acutely aware of the blush rising to his cheeks and ears. He swallowed.

"...I might have..."

"Something..." Derek placed the box of donuts on the coffee table. "...like this?" With that Derek reached a hand up to cup Spencer's head in his hands and brought his lips to touch his own in one smooth motion. Spencer pressed into the kiss and moved his body closer to Derek's, so that they were pressed against each other. He snaked his arms around Derek's waist and clasped them together at his back. The kiss was long and electric - and as they finally pulled away from each other, gasping for air, Spencer looked into Derek's eyes and knew all his doubts were true. Derek did feel the same way he did, he didn't need to say it. Derek smiled his slow, loving, beautiful smile and they both knew that that kiss said everything they could ever say to each other.


End file.
